Badger

Pineapple on pizza is an unholy abomination.

Pineapple on pizza is an unholy abomination.

Yeah, no disagreement on much of that.  Fox is a problem in that area, but much of the last 8 years everybody else seemed asleep, and many conservatives do consider it disingenuous that they suddenly wake up now.   The media situation goes back at least to the Lewinsky scandal (if not the Bork-Thomas hearings or even long,long before). It did seem to start getting amped up in the Bush years, then when Obama got in, the conservatives decided to amp it up even more, and now with Trump it gets amped up more.
 
I am also frustrated the conservatives ignore Fox's sins, and the liberals ignore non-Fox outlets. Kind of "yeah, they're biased scum, but they are my biased scum, so I will pretend they aren't biased scum, and claim to everyone they are moral, upright, honest people."  I admit I don't call out Fox as much as I should here, but, there isn't much shortage of people here who will do that.  And I sometimes get in a mode of "If I don't call out the others, who will?"  I really cant say how I should or shouldn't handle that.
 
In any case, the media as a whole, has built this pit for themselves for a generation plus, they cant just say "ehh, forget all that, respect me now".  It seems too much like an alcoholic parent whose problems wrecked your childhood time and again, who now wants you to forgive them because they have been sober for a week.  You have to prove yourself, and hope you are given another chance.
 
I am pretty sick of Trump, the media, and the protestors. I actually was sympathetic to the protestors for awhile, the disappointment would be understandable, if a bit overly-dramatic (this election, I was essentially going to dodge one bullet, to only get hit in the gut by another, no matter who won, so yeah I was a bit disappointed, myself, only with time to prepare because disaster was inescapable reality for me).  But, my sympathy has dried up at this point.  And I don't have tolerance for breaking stuff because you didn't get your way (admittedly I think most of that are the anarchist element doing their thing, but if it is done in your causes' name, you get the blame, the Tea Party and Occupiers can testify to that).  Enough with "not my President", now it is time to pick your battles and figure out how to limit him to 4 years.
 
To be honest, I don't know why I am on this thread.  I am as disgusted as possibly can be towards nearly every political element involved, and keep telling myself to quit posting about politics and be done with it.  But, I keep getting reeled back in, somehow.  Makes me feel like an addict or some sort, myself.
 
Note: By your post, I probably have missed some of your post, as I indicated I tend to phase in and out on this thread,  because I am friggin sick of it all, then come in, try to go cold turkey, see something stupid on the news, have to look at this thread, Vicious cycle.

I'll just tell you what I am told when I have insomnia.
 
"Why don't you just go to sleep"
 
Doesn't help you either huh  

I'll just tell you what I am told when I have insomnia.
 
"Why don't you just go to sleep"
 
Doesn't help you either huh  

restore Pluto's rights! you ________ that __________ and you can _______     

Another thing to consider is Trump's approval low or not, it might be higher than the approval ratings of everything that is opposing him at the moment.  The media war with him (or his war with the media, it's become a chicken and egg thing) hasnt helped people's opinions of the media.  Some of the protestors actions over the last few months have made a large section of people think of them as a 3 year old having a temper tantrum on a good day, a disturbingly violent presence on a bad one (regardless of how few those undesireable elements might be) it doesnt look good to go around destroying s*** for not getting your way.  Celebrities should just shut the f*** up, because everything they say on the matter is downright silly (but what else is new). 
 
Anyway, point is, even if your approval rating is 2%, if all your enemies' are 1%, it might not matter a lot.  I guess I am a bit frustrated, I've continued to hope the left could rally themselves and become a voice of reason.  And I have been driven to utter disappointment.  Everyday get turned into a "who can be the craziest" contest.   And Trump doesn't win as consistently as you would expect.
 
 
On a side note, realizing the millennials will be the leaders in my golden years, hasn't filled me with hope in my future retirement.
 
 
Edit: The one thing I will give Trump credit for.  He has always seemed to be good at preying on his enemies weaknesses.  And apparently, the media falls for it like a cat on a laser pointer.

Hmm, I had an ingrown hair that turned into a weird cyst thing on the back of my neck, that stayed for about 15 years, I'd worry sometimes if it was a tumor, but would always forget about it.  Eventually one day out of the blue, I accidently popped it, bunch of white puss came out that smelled like feet.

Criminal Minds over Family Matters

THe Bachelor TV show  starring Smeagol

Erik Estrada joins a band to make:
 
 
Phish &ChiPs

ALways be careful when picking up hitchhikers
 
Driver: So, you say your name is Banner?
 
Passenger:  RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
Driver: Uh-oh

ALways be careful when picking up hitchhikers
 
Driver: So, you say your name is Banner?
 
Passenger:  RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
 
Driver: Uh-oh

It is true that, to one extent or another, we are all susceptible to confirmation bias, particularly with regard to things we have strong beliefs about, e.g. politics, religion, ethics etc. Politics isn't a game--the stakes are much steeper and more lasting than any game. However, like a game, there are "rules of play". There is (supposed) to be a sense of "fair play" , "good faith and fair dealing", etc., often based on some at least vague agreement on a common purpose or common good. One of the problems we face, aside from culture clashes et al, is that the two major parties/ideologies can no longer even agree on the general purpose and scope of governance. It's one thing, for example, to look at a football game and disagree about what play the quarterback should call, or whether to go for it on third down or kick a safe field goal. It's quite another to say that the quarterback needs to dunk the basketball instead of making a slap shot on goal. IOW we're not even in agreement on what game is being played!
On top of this now, the distrust of media(which is not strictly limited to right-leaning citizens, we on the left equally distrust CNN and many media sources, albeit for different reasons) has resulted in a bifurcation into partisan media sites which perform our confirmation bias for us, downplaying or ignoring "inconvenient facts" and playing up stories which confirm our biases. Over time, this has created conflicting but parallel "realities" coexisting between left and right. We can't even agree on FACTS anymore!
I don't know exactly what would restore civil discource and societal cohesion. I'd prefer it not be a national crisis. I do think reinstating some form of Fairness doctrine(requiring the airing of other viewpoints in a balanced and neutral manner) and handing redistricting over to non-partisan civil service panels to help eliminate partisan gerrymandering(because having deep red and deep blue districts instead of purple districts tends to reward more hyperpartisan rhetoric and politics). The only other alternative would be that one ideology/party win a series of decisive and enduring political victories, that they accomplish their agenda, and that this agenda be, on balance, sufficiently popular and beneficial to most of the public that there's a paradigm shift in terms of what is taken as unchallenged and basic going forward(i.e., we're back to agreeing what game is being played).

That could be true.  The problem is, we talk like we don't want to do base it on our pre-existing ideology, but we all do.  Reading all of our posts, we all are guilty of avoiding the other side as much as possible.   If a complete political novice read our posts they would come to the conclusion that me and a handful of others believe liberals are the scum of Satan.  ANd the rest believe that conservatives are always chaotic evil.  (and I doubt many other internet sites are different, some more conservative, some more liberal but ultimately it is what it is)
 
A lot of it is human nature, I believe.  But, I think nearly all of us here (and mostly everybody everywhere) is quite a bit guilty of this.  If we say otherwise, we are only fooling ourselves.  I think on a day to day basis us humans find it easy to avoid the truth and fall into a biased world to make it easier to live life.
 
Maybe it really is the chicken and egg situation.  Though I do think most of us here, and the public at large at least mean well, and want to do right. I hope we all (at least here) believe most on the other side are merely flawed rather than evil.  The media?  I think they long ago sold their soul.   I used to think the old days were integrity-filled, but I question that now.   Were they really? Or were they able to hide it better, because their were so many fewer sources of news, that we didn't have enough requisite angles to gleam the truth about them?  I don't have the confidence to say the former anymore.
 
 
Note: I hope I said what I meant to say right.  As I think are biases have all flawed our thinking to a degree, doesn't make us evil or even wrong on the broad perspective per se.  The media's antics in some regards has put me  in a gloomy mood towards them.  And as far as learning from the 2016 election, I believe the media and (lesser extent) the public have learned absolutely nothing.  Or if on the whole they did draw a conclusion, it was to ramp up hate. I guess that has gotten to me a bit.

I've lost nearly all respect for the media, so I'd place the most blame on them.  They really don't even pretend to try anymore.  But, it is a chicken and egg thing, arguably. 
 
As for Trump, I am beginning to half-think he just plain has fun messing with them.  And they're really easy prey.

The internet hears, and obeys
 
 

DOnt know why I thought of this:
 
A music video of Aerosmith's ​Dude Looks Like A Lady
 
 
starring Klinger from MASH

Erik Estrada joins a band to make:
 
 
Phish &ChiPs

THough to be fair, that is pretty much a requirement to get a gig in politics.

I don't mean to be adversarial, but I do wonder what some of these young women's opinions about Bill Clinton's doings.  Makes me wonder if Bill Clinton was President today, if the impeachment would have been more successful.

Apart from the MSNBC hysterics in invoking a certain WW2 movement (I am calling them out that they knew better, and knew exactly that wasn't what was intended) I really don't understand why putting your own country first is evil.  Wanna bet every other country on the face of the Earth does the same thing in one form or another.  (We can argue about certain dictators put themselves first, which in their own minds, they are the country.  But, I will trust everyone here can follow my point)

Well that just tells me we have been far too lenient in the past.
 
In any case, it doesn't change much (except for my view on the outgoing President-who is 2 days away from not having to give a damn)

Well, being a conservative, I lost hope back in 08, so I am 8 years ahead of the curve.  And Clinton vs. Trump was such a worthless pair, it basically went worse. And I keep surviving, if this advice helps (hopefully)  I went cynical on politics and went more and more to occupying my time with anything but politics.  Sometimes it is best to take a step away for awhile if possible.
 
ANd I did find Obama at least tolerable (except for foreign policy) enough to get through it.  (though I didn't get a better option in 2016)

DOnt know why I thought of this:
 
A music video of Aerosmith's ​Dude Looks Like A Lady
 
 
starring Klinger from MASH